Austin Peay (2018 Record: 30-27, 17-13)
Austin Peay finished fifth in the OVC standings last season but went 0-2 in the OVC Tournament.
Returning Players
Garrett Kueber is back for his redshirt senior season after hitting .340 in 2018 with 36 runs scored, 10 doubles, 4 home runs, 39 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. He will likely start the season at shortstop and hit atop the lineup. First baseman Parker Phillips is also back in the middle of the lineup after hitting .315 last season with 47 runs scored, 13 doubles, 19 home runs, and 62 RBI.
Jacques Pucheu will slide into the Friday night role this season after posting a 4.03 ERA last year in 89.1 innings pitched with 101 strikeouts.
Jacques Pucheu (Sr., LHP) posted 7 wins and 101 Ks (89.1 IP) as the Govs No.2 all season (15 starts) and will move into the No. 1 spot in the rotation to start 2018.Brett Newberg could move into a starting role this season after posting a 3.79 ERA in 2018 over 57 innings pitched with 42 strikeouts and 6 saves.
Newcomers
Matthew Joslin (Fr., LF) and Garrett Spain (Fr., CF) will likely open 2018 as starters in LF and CF and will be big pieces in the batting order. Spain will be in the conversation as a leadoff hitter after batting .513 in his senior year at Clarksville HS and earning All-State honors.
Ryan Kouba (Jr., 1B/RHP) has the potential to provide some run production in the lineup, batting .352 with 47 RBI last season at Eastern Oklahoma State College.
- Notes from Austin Peay Athletics Department
Outlook for 2019
Austin Peay believes the pitching staff will be much improved this season and will do a better job of getting the ball to the back of the bullpen with some experiences starters and some newcomers that will have an impact right away.
Belmont (2018 Record: 19-36, 11-19)
Belmont just missed out on a chance to play their way into the OVC Tournament by finishing ninth in the conference in 2018.
Returning Players
DH Devon Gardner hit .291 a season ago with 35 runs scored, 3 home runs, and 12 stolen bases. First baseman Chas Hadden is back after hitting .287 last year with 34 RBI. Hunter Holland, Zach Ehrhart, Jackson Campbell, John Behrends, and Logan Jarvis are all expected to take on bigger roles in 2019.
Casey Queener should lead the weekend rotation after posting a 4.22 ERA last year in 85.1 innings pitched with 96 strikeouts. Kyle Brennan was exceptional out of the bullpen last year with a 2.83 ERA in 47.2 innings pitched with 38 strikeouts and 2 saves. Logan Bowen made 33 appearances last year and have 4 saves and 36 strikeouts in 37.2 innings pitched. Michael Matter could slide into a weekend rotation spot after making a handful of starts last year with a 3.51 ERA in 41 innings pitched with 23 strikeouts. Kyle Klotz, Justin Fowlkes, and Chandler Schultz should all be a big part of the pitching staff as well.
Newcomers
Newcomers who could have an immediate impact include:
Jack Capobianco – FR – INF, Korey Bell – Transfer – RHP, Josh South – FR – RHP, Tommy Crider – FR – C, Hagan Severance – Transfer – OF, Chandler Adkins – Transfer – OF, Max Marcotte – Transfer – RHP, Aaron Hubbell – FR – RHP
Outlook for 2019
The team hopes to improve the overall depth of the pitching staff, and they feel they have done that with many new talented pitchers they can mix in with experienced guys. However, they will have to replace two of their three weekend starters. Belmont is also hoping to stay healthy and avoid injuries this season. They feel there are some great freshman and transfers who will help boost their lineup and make an impact offensively in 2019.
Eastern Illinois (2018 Record: 23-31, 12-18)
It was a decent season for Eastern Illinois as they finished eighth in the OVC, which earned them a play-in game into the OVR Tournament, but they lost to Murray State.
Returning Players
First baseman Hunter Morris is back after hitting .326 last year with 40 runs scored, 11 home runs, and 55 RBI. Second baseman Jimmy Govern led the team with a .331 average last year to go along with 43 runs scored, 12 doubles, 7 home runs, and 38 RBI. Catcher Ryan Knernschield should be back as well.
Tyler Jones will be back to try and lead the pitching staff after posting a 3.52 ERA in 69 innings pitched with 54 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Freshman Trey Sweeney has a chance to earn some playing time right away at shortstop, while transfers Mike YaSenka-Juco and Foster Anschutz will try to add some depth to the pitching staff.
Outlook for 2019
“We hope to be a more well-rounded team offensively than we have been in the past. We have much more athleticism, which is going to improve our defense. We will also have a much deeper pitching staff.” – Head Coach Jason Anderson
Eastern Kentucky (2018 Record: 30-31, 15-15)
EKU had a solid 2018 season with wins over Virginia and Vanderbilt out of conference. They fought their way to the OVC Tournament semifinals before being eliminated.
Returning Players
Outfielder Nick Howie will be back to lead the lineup after hitting .333 last year with 43 runs scored, 10 home runs, 50 RBI, and 17 stolen bases. Tyler Romanik hit .335 last year with 7 home runs and 40 RBI. Shortstop Ryland Kerr hit .325 with 62 runs scored, 20 doubles, 6 home runs, and 34 RBI. Outfielder Will Johnson hit .322 with 43 runs scored, 9 home runs, and 36 RBI.
Aaron Ochsenbein had a solid 2018 season with a 4.70 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched with 71 strikeouts and 9 saves. He also had a great summer in the Cape Cod League where he ranked third in Ks/9 and was fourth in total strikeouts. Logan Teague made 13 starts last year and should be back, as is Kaven Brown who made 11 starts in 2018 with a 5.84 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 57 innings.
Newcomers
Transfer A.J. Lewis will have a chance to take over behind the plate, while a couple of freshman in Christian Lucio and Lyndon Weaver could see immediate playing time on the infield.
Outlook for 2019
The team hopes to improve on is pitching and defense in 2019. They would like to see their ERA go down from last year’s 6.26 mark. They got into last year with a lot of errors, and they are hoping to clean that up as well.
Jacksonville State (2018 Record: 32-25, 18-12)
The Gamecocks finished tied for third in the conference last year and won their first round game in the OVC Tournament, but were eliminated in the third round.
Returning Players
Catcher Nic Gaddis returns after hitting .324 a season ago with 45 runs scored, 18 doubles, 10 home runs, and 55 RBI. Shortstop Isaac Alexander hit .306 last year with 41 runs scored, 13 doubles, 5 home runs, and 48 RBI.
Garrett Farmer should be back to lead the rotation after posting a 3.80 ERA in 2018 over 90 innings pitched with 107 strikeouts. Christian Edwards was great out of the bullpen last year with a 1.91 ERA in 33 innings pitched as a freshman with 55 strikeouts and 3 saves. Austin Brewser figures to be a big part of the pitching staff again as well.
Outlook for 2019
Jacksonville State has two key hitters coming back from a powerful offense, but they also lose some key contributors. They also return their best starter and bullpen arm from 2018, but lose two weekend rotation starters.
Morehead State (2018 Record: 37-26, 18-12)
Morehead State had a fantastic 2018 season as they beat a ranked Tennessee Tech team twice to win the OVC Tournament. And then they put a scare into host Clemson in the regionals.
Returning Players
Morehead State returns five every day position players, and 404 of their 560 innings pitched.
Shortstop Reid Leonard hit .344 last year with 65 runs scored, 14 doubles, 4 home runs, and 40 RBI. He is a four-year starter with a career .338 average. Leonard is also an excellent defender. Center fielder Connor Pauly hit .339 in 2018 with 58 runs scored, 17 doubles, 8 home runs, and 53 RBI. First baseman Trevor Snyder hit .335 with 56 runs scored, 14 doubles, 18 home runs, and 69 RBI. He is another four-year starter. Outfielder Jake Hammon hit .361 a season ago with 48 runs scored, 9 home runs, and 53 RBI. Bryce Hensor should be back at second base after a solid freshman campaign. Catcher Hunter Fain is another four-year starter who is great behind the plate.
Dalton Stambaugh should lead the weekend rotation after starting 16 games last year and striking out 87 batters in 89 innings pitched. Jake Ziegelmeyer will also have a shot to start games on the weekend. He had a rough 2018 season, but was limited down the stretch. He should be fully healthy for 2019. Cory Conway Mad the All-Freshman team in 2018 after posting a 3.57 ERA in 52.3 innings pitched with 54 strikeouts and 4 saves.
Newcomers
OF/2B – Ryan Layne – transfer from Wabash Valley CC – impact bat, good athlete can play multiple positions
3B – Dom Peroni – transfer from Potomac State CC – Impact bat, good 3B
DH/C – Jon Burghardt – transfer from Tacoma CC – Impact bat, should be our DH
OF – Arthur Sells – transfer from Heartland CC – power bat
INF – Stephen Hill – transfer from South Suburban CC – impact bat
OF – Chase Sortor – transfer from McLennan CC – power and speed
RHP – Fr – Landon Weins – Impact arm, great athlete, and pitch ability
- Notes above provided by Head Coach Mike McGuire
Outlook for 2019
“I expect us to have a much-improved pitching staff. In addition to returning most of our innings and being more experienced, we return three of our top arms that missed all or most of last year due to injury. Getting to a regional last year was quite remarkable considering we did so with little or no contribution from (Ziegelmeyer, Garbrick, and Goe).” – Head Coach Mike McGuire
Murray State (2018 Record: 27-29, 13-16)
Murry State was able to sneak into the OVC Tournament after winning the play-in game 15-5. But once in they struggled going two-and-out.
Returning Players
Shortstop Jaron Robinson is back after hitting .246 a year ago with 5 home runs and 27 RBI. Outfielder Ryan Perkins should also be back after hitting .253 last season with 6 home runs. They lost a big bat with Davis Sims (.357/6/52) transferring to Western Kentucky.
Trevor McMurray and RHP Gray Dorsey will lead a solid weekend rotation. McMurray posted a 5.15 ERA a season ago with 46 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched, while Dorsey had a 4.88 ERA in just 27.2 innings pitched with 18 strikeouts.
Newcomers
Brock Anderson has a chance to step into rotation in the outfield, while Vito Lovino could see time behind the plate. Shange Burns will try give the pitching staff a boost.
Outlook for 2019
Head Coach Dan Skirka said his team hopes to improve their pitching in 2018, while also looking for overall consistency as a team.
SIU Edwardsville (2018 Record: 15-37, 6-24)
It was not a great 2018 for SIU Edwardsville as they finished last in the conference and missed out on the OVC Tournament.
Returning Players
“We return two weekend starters from last year in Kenny Serwa (RJR) and Collin Baumgartner (SO) Both are both right-handed pitchers who should log major innings for us this spring. We will also return outfielder Dustin Woodcock who suffered a season-ending injury last year in the first series of the season. He is an impact bat in the middle of the order. Two other returners that should contribute is senior C/DH Brock Weimer and 1B Peyton Cordova-Smith.” – Head Coach Sean Lyons
Weimer hit .275 a year ago with 8 home runs and 37 RBI, while Cordova-Smith hit .259 with 5 home runs.
Serwa posted a 4.45 ERA last year in 85 innings pitched with 57 strikeouts, while Baumgartner had a 6.57 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched with 26 strikeouts.
Newcomers
“Justin Perkins is an impact bat who has transferred from Jefferson College and will play on the infield. Raul Elguezabal is another transfer from Jefferson College that should impact the lineup. We have added several athletic freshman that should play a major role. This trio includes: Brendan Ryan, Brady Bunten, and Jack Rigoni.” – Coach Lyons
Outlook for 2019
“We need to move on from a disappointing season in 2018 by improving our ability to score more runs. We think we have added some athleticism and team speed to our lineup, which will give us more ways to apply pressure to the defense. Consistency out of our starting rotation is going to be important … we didn’t have that last season.” – Coach Lyons
Southeast Missouri State (2018 Record: 27-30, 20-10)
Despite struggling mightily out of conference, Southeast Missouri State dominated OVC play with a 20-10 record. But after winning the first game in the OVC Tournament they dropped two in a row.
Returning Players
Outfielder Justin Dirden returns after hitting .340 a year ago with 46 runs scored, 16 home runs, and 68 RBI. Shortstop Danny Wright is also back after hitting .281 in 2018 with 3 home runs.
They lose a lot their top starters from 2018. Dan Bergtholdt could step up in the weekend rotation after making three starts last year with an ERA of 4.80 in 50.2 innings pitched with 33 strikeouts. Aaron Stretch was great out of the bullpen last year with a 4.15 ERA in 39 innings pitched with 30 strikeouts and 4 saves.
Newcomers
JUCO transfer Dylan Dodd will come in and compete for time all of the field, while freshman Andrew Keck could see time behind the plate and Turner Fritts on the infield.
Freshman Noah Niznik could see big innings this year on the mound.
Outlook for 2019
The team is looking to have more consistent outings from their starting pitchers, while hopefully finding more consistency overall as a team.
Tennessee Tech (2018 Record: 53-12, 27-3)
The 2018 season was special for Tennessee Tech as the made the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid, bit Ole Miss twice in the regionals to advance to the Supers, and finished the season with 53 wins.
Returning Players
Kevin Strohchein will try to lead a lineup that lost almost everyone from last season. Strohchein hit .375 last season with 69 runs scored, 18 doubles, 18 home runs, and 67 RBI. Anthony Carrera will likely join Strohchein in the outfield after hitting .345 last year in limited playing time with 4 home runs.
Alex Hursey is one of few key contributors coming back from last year’s team. He posted an ERA of 4.81 in 2018 with 48 strikeouts in 76.2 innings pitched.
Newcomers
Connor Adams (R-Fr, LHP), Caleb Morgan (Jr, RHP), and Jay Meuse (Jr, MIF).
Outlook for 2019
The Tennessee Tech coaching staff would love to see them improve their consistency on the mound and continue to have better at-bats.
Tennessee-Martin (11-40, 7-22)
It was not a great season for UT-Martin in 2018 as they only managed to win seven conference games, and only four games out of conference.
Returning Players
Outfielder Jordan Stoner returns to the lineup after hitting .382 last year with 44 runs scored, 17 doubles, 4 triples, 4 home runs, 25 RBI, and 11 stolen bases. First baseman Ethan Whitley hit .267 in 2018 with 9 home runs and 32 RBI.
Winston Cannon should be back in the weekend rotation after making 14 starts last season with 67 strikeouts in 71.2 innings pitched. Sam Folks made 11 starts last year and pitched 56.1 innings.
Newcomers
“Creighton Eldridge returning this year from injury is our biggest impact that was missed last year, and the addition of Sean Dixson in the outfield will help us solidify our outfield defense and our lineup. On the mound, Tyler Sherman and Marcus Eusebio are two freshmen who should see substantial innings this year.” – quote from UT-Martin coaching staff.
Outlook for 2019
The coaching staff said they would like to see their pitchers throw more strikes and command the zone better than they did in 2018. They also have to find a way to solidify their infield defense to be successful.
2019 All-OVC Preseason Team
C: Nic Gaddis (Jacksonville State)
1B: Trevor Snyder (Morehead State)
2B: Jimmy Govern (Eastern Illinois)
SS: Reid Leonard (Morehead State)
3B: Garrett Kueber (Austin Peay)
OF: Justin Dirden (Southeast Missouri)
OF: Kevin Strohschein (Tennessee Tech)
OF: Connor Pauly (Morehead State)
DH: Hunter Morris (Eastern Illinois)
SP: Tyler Jones (Eastern Illinois)
SP: Garrett Farmer (Jacksonville State)
SP: Casey Queener (Belmont)
SP: Jacques Pucheu (Austin Peay)
SP: Kenny Serwa (SIUE)
RP: Aaron Ochsenbein (EKU)
RP: Christian Edwards (Jacksonville State)
RP: Cory Conway (Morehead State)
Honorable Mention:
1B – Parker Phillips (Austin Peay)
SS – Ryland Kerr (EKU)
SS – Isaac Alexander (Jacksonville State)
OF – Jake Hammon (Morehead State)
OF – Nick Howie (EKU)
DH – Brock Weimer (SIUE)
Predicted Order to Finish:
1. Morehead State
2. Jacksonville State
3. Tennessee Tech
4. Austin Peay
5. EKU
6. Eastern Illinois
7. Southeast Missouri
8. Belmont
9. Murray State
10. SIU Edwardsville
11. UT-Martin
